Tailgate latch



May 3, 1960 c. J. BESTROM TAILGATE LATCH Filed Dec. 20, 1957 IN VEN TOR.

s m J W n 62 g a m & a m mm a x 1 4 m x F United States Patent TAILGATE LATCH Carl J. Bestrom, Colville, Wash.

Application December 20, 1957, Serial No. 704,059

1 Claim. (Cl. 292-27) The present invention relates to mechanical latching and retaining means for a hingedly mounted tail gate on the openable and closable end of the body of a dump truck and has to do with a construction which is normally operated through the medium of a manually actuatable push-pull rod.

As the preceding general statement of the nature of the invention clearly implies, operating and controlling latch means on either one or both sides of a rear end of a dump truck body using a remote controlled push-pull rod or link for the purpose is old and well-known. Any number of prior patents could well be cited as exemplary of the state of development of the art. However, it is believed that an effort in this direction is seemingly not necessary. t will suflice to bring out that an object of the instant achievement is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly performing and constructed prior art tailgate latches.

In carrying out a preferred construction for usage pairs of duplicate pivoted lever-type latches have been appropriated to do so. Each lever or latch is provided at its retaining end with a hook, is hingedly mounted between the median portion and the forward end portion, being provided at the forward end portion with flanges cooperating in providing a novel cam actuated head.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear end elevation showing the tailgate fastened with the improved remote controlled latch.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure seen in Fig. 1 and which is employed to show that the latches may be employed in pairs and that a rod may connect the two latches so that they will operate in unison, the section being on the approximate line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view with portions broken away to bring out the details and their association and arrangement and wherein the latch is shown in its lifted or released position.

Fig. 4 is in section and elevation taken on the vertical line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As before explained the latch means is characterized by two identical lever-type latches. Each latch is the same in construction and therefore a description of one will suflice for both. It may be conveniently mentioned, however, that the latch or lever on the side seen in Fig. 1 is conveniently denoted by the numeral 6 and the companion one on the other side is denoted or distinguished by the numeral 8.

Each latch is in the nature of a lever or arm 10 having "ice the left-hand or forward end portion in Fig. 1 hingedly mounted at 12 on a hanger bracket 14. The pivot or hinge point may be said to be between the median and the forward end portion. The forward end portion 16 is provided on that side facing the body 18 with a pair of horizontal flanges which may be designated as an upper flange 20 and a lower flange 22 (Fig. 4). These flanges together with the web of the lever provide an actuatable head for the cooperating peripheral portion of the cam or eccentric 24. This cam is fixed on one end of a rocker shaft 26 which is turnable in a bearing 28 provided in the depending hanger lug 30. The rock shaft is operated by a rocker arm 32 which is connected to the rock shaft as seen in Fig. 4 and which in turn has its lower end portion 34 operatively connected with a push-pull rod or link 36.

As seen in Fig. 2 there is a tie rod 38 which extends I across the bottom of the truck body and this serves to connect the two cams so that they will operate in unison thus simplifying the restriction of the construction to a single push-pull rod 36.

The tailgate is denoted at 39 and is hingedly connected at 40 and has retaining pins 42 on the lower end to accommodate a hook 44 on the end of the offset portion 46 of the latch.

It is evident that the cam 24 operating between the flanges 20 and 22 is in constant wiping and operating contact with the opposed surfaces of the two flanges and when it turns in one directtion it lifts the flanged head 25 and when moved in the opposite direction accomplishes the reverse movement of said head.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination, a vehicle body comprising on one end a pivotally suspended tailgate including laterally projecting pins on its free end portion, and latching means for releasably securing the tailgate in closed position, said means comprising a pair of hook pivotally mounted, at an intermediate point, on the body for vertical swinging movement and engageable at one end withthe pins for retaining said tailgate in said closed position, opposed upper and lower inturned flanges on the other end portions of the hooks, a rocker shaft journalled transversely beneath the body, cams fixed on the end portions of said shaft and engaged between the upper and lower flanges for positively actuating the hooks in opposite directions when the shaft is oscillated, an operating arm mounted on the shaft, and actuating means connected to said arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 398,549 Smith Feb. 26, 1889 1,376,733 Sanderson May 3, 1921 1,446,083 Avery Feb. 20, 1923 2,530,346 Wolf Nov. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 508,082 Italy Jan. 4, 1955 

